Code first, ask questions later

// servicecontract
[ServiceContract]
public interface ITraceWritable
{
   [OperationContract]
   void Write(string msg);
}

// proxy
public partial class RemoteTraceClient : ClientBase<ITraceWritable>, ITraceWritable
{
   public RemoteTraceClient() : base(new NetTcpBinding(), new EndpointAddress("net.tcp://localhost:9000/tracer")) { }
   public void Write(string msg)
   {
      Channel.Write(msg);
   }
}

// TraceListener implementation
public class RemoteTraceListener : TraceListener
{
   public override void WriteLine(string message)
   {
      Write(message + "\n");
   }
   public override void Write(string message)
   {
      using (var client = new RemoteTraceClient())
      {
         client.Open();
         client.Write(message);
         client.Close();
      }
   }
}

// Service implementation
[ServiceBehavior(InstanceContextMode=InstanceContextMode.Single)]
public class TraceLog : ITraceWritable
{
   public void Write(string msg)
   {
      Console.Write(msg);
   }
}

// usage in application to trace to
using (ServiceHost host = new ServiceHost(new TraceLog(), new Uri("net.tcp://localhost:9000/tracer")))
{
   host.AddServiceEndpoint(typeof(ITraceWritable), new NetTcpBinding(), "");
   host.Open();
   Console.WriteLine("Press enter to exit");
   Console.ReadLine();
   host.Close();
}

// usage in application to trace from
System.Diagnostics.Trace.Listeners.Add(new RemoteTraceListener());
System.Diagnostics.Trace.TraceInformation("Added remote tracelistener");

Now my trace messages are directly visible in a console window. This is a great help with debugging. Of course this can be applied to existing applications via the config file….

<system.diagnostics>
  <trace>
    <listeners>
      <add name="remote" type="[NameSpace].RemoteTraceListener, [Assembly]"/>
    </listeners>
  </trace>      
</system.diagnostics>